As one of the objectives of higher education institutions is making higher education accessible to the community. In view of this, the university is educating those individuals who could not pursue their study in regular base through extension and summer education programs for the last three years at Desssie, Kombolcha and Woldiya centers. In order to address the need of the community to higher education, the Distance and Continuing Education has been capacitated and organized at Office level having two Programs: Continuing Education Program, and Distance and Summer Education Program. Currently, the Continuing Education Program offers education for 1269 students at degree level through extension program. Learning time for the extension students has been arranged to be at weekends. This scheduling is preferred to give chances to employees living in the nearby woredas as it is difficult to them to attend classes in the working days. The following are field of studies which are being offered through Continuing Education Program:

The functional unites are as follows:

1. Under Department of Economics:
   • Economics
2. Under Department of Management and Accounting:
   • Accounting
   • Management
3. Under Department of Social Studies:
   • Geograpy and Environmental Studies
4. Under Department of Medical Science:
   • Nursing
   • Pharmacy
5. Under Department of Civil and Urban Engineering:
   • Civil Engineering
6. Under Department of Informatics:
   • Computer Science
   • Information Technology
7. Under Department of Law:
   • Law

On the other hand, the Distance and Summer Program has been providing education and training at degree level for about 2800 students through Summer Program since 2007. Field of studies in the summer program includes:

1. Under Department of Pedagogical Science:
   • Educational Planning and Management
2. Under Department of Social Studies:
   • Geography
   • History
3. Under Department of Governance:
   • Civics
4. Under Department of Language Studies:
   • English
   • Amharic
5. Under Department of Medical Science:
   • Nursing
6. Under Department of Biology:
   • Biology
7. Under Department of Chemistry:
   • Chemistry
8. Under Department of Physics:
   • Physics
9. Under Department of Mathematics:
   • Mathematics

In the second semester of the 2010 academic year, the University envisaged to start distance education in the following field of studies:

1. Under Department of Pedagogical Science:
   • Educational Planning and Management
2. Under Department of Social Studies:
   • Geography
   • History
3. Under Department of Governance:
   • Civics
4. Under Department of Language Studies:
   • English
   • Amharic
5. Under Department of Behavioral Science:
   • Psychology
6. Under Department of Economics:
   • Economics
7. Under Department of Management and Accounting:
   • Accounting
   • Management
   • Marketing
8. Under Department of Law:
   • Law